Apparatus for vaporizing oil



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APPARATUS FOR VAPORIZING 01L. No. 498,518. Patented May 30, 1893.

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R. H. LAIRD. APPARATUS FOR VAPORIZING 01L.

No. 498,518. Patented May 30, 1893.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT H. LAIRD, OF TORONTO, CANADA, ASSIGNOR TO WILLIAM HENRY LAIRD, OFNEW YORK.

APPARATUS FOR VAPORIZIN G O lL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 498,518, dated May 30,1893. Application filed September 28, 1892. SerialNo. 447,196. (Nomodel.)

1 To, all whom it may concern.-

tillation the bulk must be distributed in thin sheets over a largegenerating-surface, and

that this distributed bulk must be heated, in

the first instance, to a temperature of about 212 Farenheit, to generatewhat is commonly known as the alcoholic series of vapors and that afterthe alcoholic series of vapors have been obtained the residue 'must besubjected to heat ever and gradually increasing in temperature to obtaintherefrom the oleic vapors of the different gravities; and the object ofthe invention is to construct a still by means of which the foregoingobjects may be attained; and the invention consists essentially of astill of any suitable shape and size having arranged within its outershell a series of distributing surfaces placed one above the other withan intervening space between them and adapted to hold a thin sheet ofoil during the process of distillation, each of the distributingsurfaces preferably consisting of a perforated metallic plate having asuitable sized circular opening through its middle through which passesa supporting standard or column adapted to hold the distributingsurfaces firmly in place, pipes entering the still and adapted to conveyheat from the generator to the still, a pipe for admitting oil from themixing tanks to the still, a vapor dome located within the still andabove the uppermost distributing surface, pipes for conducting thevapors from a vapor dome to the filters and means for drawing oif theresidue from the still; the whole device being constructed ashereinafter more fully set forth.

It the drawings :--Figure 1 isa perspective view of a still with theouter shell partially broken away showing the various distributingsurfaces, the heating pipes, the vapor dome, pipes for conducting thevapors from the vapor dome to the filters and means for introducing theoil into the still. Fig. 2 is a plan view showingthe arrangement of theheating pipes located beneath each of these distributing surfacesexhibited in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional View of analternative form'of still. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on thelines aa Fig. 3 showing the arrangement of the heating pipes locatedbeneath each of those distributing surfaces shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is aplanview of one of those distributing surfaces shown in Fig. 3. V

Like numerals and letters of reference refer to like parts throughoutthe specification and drawings.

The still consists of an outer shell 1, constructed preferably of boilerplate. 7 Located centrally within the outer shell 1 is a standardorupright column 2, onthe outer face of which is formed a screw thread3.

Located within the shell 1 is a series -of perforated metallic plates 4having a central opening 5 formed in them through which passes thestandard or upright column 2 screw threaded on its outer face.Surrounding the central opening 5 on the underside of the plate 4 is acollar 14 screw threaded on its inner face. As shown in Fig. 3 of thedrawings these metallic plates 4 are six in number but the numberemployed is predetermined and is regulated according to the size of thestill. Each of the perforated metallic plates 4 is provided with adownwardly projecting flange 6 which rests upon a bracket 7. It mighthere be stated that the upper surfaces of the metallic plates 4 areslightly inclined from the circular opening 5 downwardly to a point 4 inclose proximity to their peripheries 4 from which point 4 they areinclined upwardly to the peripheries 4 as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 of thedrawings.

The downwardly projecting flange 6 is inclined from its upper edgeinwardly toward the column or standard 2 to enable the upper surface ofthe perforated metallic plate 4 next below it to overlap its lower edge6 This The supporting bracket 7 comprises a hub 7" and arms 7 radiatingfrom said hub. The inner face of the hub 7 is screw threaded tocorrespond with the screw threaded outer face of the standard or column2. The column 2 passes through the hub 7 and the engagement of the screwthreaded inner face of the hub with the screw threaded outer face of thecolumn or standard 2 permits of the bracket 7 being raised or lowered toany desired elevation along the said standard. Located on the under sideof each of the metallic plates 4 is a series of perforated pipes 8 toeach of which is supplied'the heating fluid by means of a supply pipe 9leading from the generator which generator may be of any ordinary form.

The metallic plates 4 shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings it will be noticedare rectangular in shape and in them are two openings 5 through each ofwhich passes a standard or column 2;

and that connected to each of the standards or columns 2 and on theunder side of the metallic plate 4 is a bracket 7 comprising a hub 7 andthree outwardly radiating arms 7". Again by reference to Fig. 3 of thedrawings it will be noticed that I have modified the shape of the platesby making each of the said metallic plates 4 circular. Again byreference to the same figure it will be noticed that formed centrally inthem is an opening 5 through which passes a column or standard 2. Itwill also be noticed by reference to Fig. 4 of the drawings that thesuperheating pipes 3 located on the under side of the distributing plate4 shown in Figs. 3 and 5 of the drawings are in the form of a spiralcoil and that the innermost coil is carried outwardly beyond theoutermost so that it may be connected to the return pipes 9*.

By reference to Fig. 2 of the drawings it will be noticed that theheating pipes 8 shown therein are in the form of a rectangle having twoTs or T branches 8 one at either end of the distributing plate to eachof which are connected two side pipes 8 and four intermediate pipes 8Leading from the tank (which is not necessary to be shown in thisapplication) and entering the upper portion of the still is a feed pipe10 which is arranged preferably over the middle of the still and isadapted to distribute the oil evenly in all directions. As thedistributing plates shown in Fig. 1 are rectangular in shape I find itconvenient to feed the oil from the feed pipe 10 to a perforateddistributing pipe 1O which would in turn feed the oil over a much largerarea of the plate 4 than could be properly accomplished by the pipe 10.As shown in the same figure I have provided this still with four feedpipes 10 which feed the distributing pipe 10.

The oil is introduced into the still by means of the feed pipe 10 whichdistributes it over the topmost perforated metallic plate 4 which feedsits overflow to the metallic plate4 next below it, which operation isrepeated to the lowermost metallic plate 4. The heating fluid is appliedto the pipes A by means of the supply pipes 9 and passes through theperforations in the tops of said pipes 8 to the under sides of themetallic plates 4. This steam acting on the oil converts the said oilinto vapor which rises to the vapordome A. The vapor dome A is locatedin the top of the still and above the uppermost of the perforatedmetallic plates 4.

When crude oil is being vaporized the heat first introduced to the stillby means of the connection pipes 9 is at a temperature of about 212Fahrenheit and generates from the crude oil at this temperature what iscommonlyknownas the alcoholic series of vapors. The alcoholic series ofvapors as they are generated rise to the dome A and are conducted fromthe said dome to their respective filter by means of the pipe B. Thepipe B is provided with a valve b which always remains closed exceptduring the passage of the alcoholic series of vapors therethrough atwhich time it is opened. After the alcoholic series ofvvapors have beenobtained from the oil within the still the heat is increased intemperature to about 300 Fahrenheit at which temperature the lightest ofthe oleic vapors are given off and are conducted from the still by meansof the pipe 0 to their respective filter, the pipe 0 being alwaysprovided with avalve c which always remains closed except during thepassage of the lightest of the oleic vapors therethrough. After thelightest of the oleic vapors have been obtained the temperature of theheat is again increased to 450 Fahrenheit at which temperature the nextlightest of the oleic vapors are given off and these oleic vapors risingfrom the dome A are con: ducted from the said dome to their respectivefilter by means of the pipe D provided with a valve 01 and after these.oleic vapors have been obtained the temperature of the heat is againincreased to about 650 Fahren- 'heit at which temperature the last ofthe third lightest vapors are given off and are conducted to theirrespective filter by means of a pipe F fitted with a valve 6.

It might here be stated that the perforations in the pipes 8 on theunder sides of the plates 4 are in the tops of the said plates so thatwhen steam is used the condensation that will naturally occur during thecontinuance of the use of the steam will accumulate in the bottoms ofthe said pipes and may be blown oif from the pipes 3 into the returnpipe 9 by the pressure of the. live steam.

Entering the bottom of the still 1 is an exhaust pipe 13 provided with avalve 13 to empty the still of its contents after the vaporizing iscompleted. The bottom 14 of the still is inclined to direct its contentstoward the opening to the exhaust pipe 13.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an apparatus for vaporizing oil the combination of an outer shell,a standard cenriphery, means for supplying oil to said aptrallylocatedwithin said outer sl1ell,a series of perforated metallicdistributing plates within said outer shell, a series of pipes locatedon the under side of each of the said distributing plates and enteringthe apparatus from the said outer shell, said pipes adapted to conveyheat to the said distributing plates, brackets secured to the saidstandard and adapted to support the said distributing plates, a vapordomelocated within said outer shell and above the said distributingplates, a supply pipe adapted to feed' the oil to the said distributingplates and pipes adapted to carry off the vapors from the said vapordome, substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus for vaporizing oil the combination of an outer shell,a series of metallic distributing plates Within said outer shell, eachof said distributing plates having its upper surface downwardly inclinedfrom the middle to a'point near the periphery and upwardly inclined fromsaid point to its peparatus, means for supplying heat to the saiddistributing plates and means for conducting away the vapors as they aregenerated, substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus for vaporizing oil the combination of the outershell, aseries of metallic distributing plates suitably supported withinsaid outer shell, the upper face of each of the distributing platesinclined downwardly from its middle to a point near its periphery andinclined upwardly from said point to its periphery,a downwardlyprojecting flange encompassing its edge, said flange inclined inwardlyto enable the distributing plate next below it to overlap the loweredgeof said flange, a supply pipe entering said outer shell and adapted tofeed the oil to the distributing plates, a vapor dome within said outershell and pipes entering said outer shell and adapted to carry away thevapors from the said vapor dome, substantially as described.

Toronto, July 6, 1892.

ROBERT H. LAIRD.

' In presence of CHAS. H. Brenna, M. ANGELL.

